Optical sensor module and a wearable device including the same

Abstract

A lead frame includes a main plate and a side plate. The main plate has a support portion and a projecting portion. The support portion has two opposite first sides and a support face located between the first sides. The projecting portion projects upward from one of the first sides in a direction opposite to the support face. The side plate is disposed separately from the one of the first sides of the support portion and is spaced apart from the projecting portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A lead frame for an optical sensor module, comprising:
 a main plate having a support portion and at least one projecting portion, said support portion having two opposite first sides and a support face located between said two opposite first sides, said at least one projecting portion projecting upward from one of said two opposite first sides in a direction opposite to said support face; and 
 at least one side plate that is disposed separately from said one of said two opposite first sides of said support portion and that is spaced apart from said at least one projecting portion. 
 
     
     
       2. The lead frame as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein top of said at least one projecting portion is higher than the top of the said support face of said support portion and the top of said side plate. 
     
     
       3. The lead frame as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said at least one projecting portion has an inclined section, a connection section and a light partition section, said inclined section adjoining said one of said two opposite first sides and inclining said support face by an obtuse angle, said connection section extending horizontally from said inclined section toward a mounting face of said at least one side plate, said light partition section extending upwardly from said connection section in a direction away from said support face. 
     
     
       4. The lead frame as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 said main plate further has a first leg portion and a second leg portion, said first leg portion being spaced apart from said support portion, said second leg portion being connected to said support portion; and 
 said at least one side plate has a mount portion, a third leg portion and a fourth leg portion, said mount portion having a mounting face, said third leg portion being spaced apart from said mount portion, said fourth leg portion being connected to said mount portion. 
 
     
     
       5. The lead frame as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said third leg portion is disposed at the same side as that of said first leg portion, and said fourth leg portion is disposed at the same side as that of said second leg portion. 
     
     
       6. The lead frame as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein:
 each of said first and second leg portions has
 an upper section extending from one of said two opposite second sides, 
 an extending section extending downwardly from said upper section, and 
 a terminal section extending from said extending section for making an electrical connection with an external circuit; and 
 
 each of said third and fourth leg portions has
 a top section, 
 a linking section extending downwardly from said top section, and 
 a terminal section extending from said linking section for making an electrical connection with an external circuit. 
 
 
     
     
       7. The lead frame as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said at least one projecting portion further has two opposite ends that are respectively adjacent to said first and second leg portions and that are respectively formed with arcuate notched edges, each of said third and fourth leg portions further has a concaved edge, said concaved edges of said third and fourth leg portions facing respectively said arcuate notched edges of said at least one projecting portion of said main plate. 
     
     
       8. The lead frame as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said at least one side plate includes two side plates that are respectively proximal to and spaced apart from said two opposite first sides of said support portion, and said at least one projecting portion includes two projecting portions, which respectively project from said two opposite first sides of said support portion. 
     
     
       9. The lead frame as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said at least one side plate includes two side plates that are spaced apart from each other and that are proximal to and spaced apart from one of said two opposite first sides of said supporting portion. 
     
     
       10. An optical sensor module comprising:
 a lead frame as claimed in  claim 1 ; 
 a receiver unit including
 a light receiver that is disposed on said support face and that has a light receiving face opposite to said support face; 
 
 at least one light-emitting unit including
 a light-emitter that is disposed on a mounting face of said at least one side plate and that has alight-emitting face opposite to said mounting face; and 
 
 a housing molded over said lead frame. 
 
     
     
       11. The optical sensor module as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said housing comprises:
 a first light-blocking wall that has a first opening exposing said light-receiver; and 
 a second light-blocking wall that has at least one second opening exposing said light-emitting unit, wherein said first and second light-blocking walls adjoin each other between said first and second openings to form at least one common light barrier wall. 
 
     
     
       12. The optical sensor module as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said at least one projecting portion has an inclined section, a connection section and a light partition section, said inclined section adjoining said one of said two opposite first sides and inclining said support face by an obtuse angle, said connection section extending horizontally from said inclined section toward said mounting face of said at least one side plate, said light partition section extending upwardly from said connection section in a direction away from said support face. 
     
     
       13. The optical sensor module as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein said first light-blocking wall has an outer surrounding surface that surrounds said opening and that has two arcuate grooves indented toward said opening from said outer surrounding surface at positions respectively adjacent to said arcuate notched edges of said main plate. 
     
     
       14. The optical sensor module as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein said first light-blocking wall further has an inner surrounding surface defining said first opening, said inner surrounding surface of said first light-blocking wall having a sloping surface section contacting and extending obliquely and upwardly from said support face, a horizontal surface section extending horizontally from a top end of said sloping surface section and away from said light receiver. 
     
     
       15. The optical sensor module as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein said second light blocking wall further has an inner surrounding surface defining said at least one second opening, said inner surrounding surface of said second light blocking wall having a sloping surface section contacting and extending obliquely and upwardly from said mounting face, a horizontal surface section extending horizontally from said sloping surface section and away from said light-emitter. 
     
     
       16. The optical sensor module as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said receiver unit further includes a first light-transmissible encapsulant encapsulating said light receiver and covering said support face, and said at least one light-emitting unit further includes a second light-transmissible encapsulant encapsulating said light-emitter and covering said mounting face. 
     
     
       17. The optical sensor module as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein said first light-blocking wall is made from a first black opaque material, and said second light-blocking wall is made from one of a second black opaque material and a white opaque material. 
     
     
       18. The optical sensor module as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein said first light-blocking wall further has a top face higher than a top face of said second light-blocking wall. 
     
     
       19. A wearable device for being worn by a user with skin contact to record photoplethysmogram signals, said wearable device comprising:
 a casing including a casing body and a wearing member connected to said casing body to be worn by a user, said casing body having a cover for contacting the user's skin; 
 a printed circuit board disposed in said casing body; and 
 an optical sensor module as claimed in  claim 10  electrically connected to said printed circuit board and located between said cover and said printed circuit board. 
 
     
     
       20. The wearable device as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein said housing of said optical sensor module further comprises:
 a first light-blocking wall that has a first opening exposing said light-receiver; and 
 a second light-blocking wall that has at least one second opening exposing said light-emitting unit, wherein said first light-blocking wall has a top face higher than a top face of said second light-blocking wall.